Pumping big



R. C. MASON March 8, 1932.

PUMPING RIG Filed Oct. 6, 1950 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 8, 1932 PATENT OFFICE RICHARD G. MASON, OF IU'LSA, OKLAHOMA PUMPING RIG Application filed October 6, 1930. Serial No. 486,719.

My invention relates to pumping rigs and more particularly to hydraulically actuated apparatus for pumping oil wells, the present invention constituting improvements over my prior Patent Number 1,708,584.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide an apparatus of this character that may be mounted on the outside of an oil well derrick, thereby preventing inter- ].0 ference of the apparatus with rod pulling and similar operations.

Further objects of the invention are to reduce the manufacturing and installation costs of hydraulic pumping apparatus suitable for oil well pumping purposes, and to utilize the weight of the apparatus for additionally anchoring the derrick to the derrick floor to prevent damage of the equipment by wind storms. 4 r

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention I have provided improved details of structure the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a power house and of an oil well derrick equipped with'a h draulic motor and control mechanism, em odying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a pulley and. of a portion of a connecting chain mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the hydraulic motor unit.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a derrick, of well known construction, including a floor 2, derrick legs 3,

girts 4, and a crown platform 5. Welltubing 6, projecting from casing 7 extending through the derrick floor, is provided with a discharge line 8, and a polish rod 9 leading downwardly to a string of sucker rods connected to a pump (not shown) near the bottom of the well is commonly actuated {by means of a walking beam driven througha pitman and bull wheel for pumping oil from the well.

Draw works 10 mounted on gudgeon posts v d. by an electric motor 11 resting on the derrick floor, is employe together with a cable and with suitable sheave 0 wheels on the crown block of the derrick for lowering and elevating tubing and the like into and from a well.

In order to eliminate the necessity of employing a walking beam and bull wheel for actuating the sucker rod string, I have provided a hydraulic motor similar to the one used in the apparatus described in my previous application, above referred to.

The motor in the present invention, however, is mounted on the outside of the derrick so that it will not interfere with rod pulling and similar operations, and includes a cylinder 12 having opposite ends inserted in corresponding sockets 13 of end plates 14 and 15. Radial cars 16 on the end plates are provided with openings 17 for receiving tie rods 18, and nuts 19 are threaded on the outer ends of the rods for securely clamping the plates on the ends of the cylinder.

Concentric openings 20 and 21 in the end plates are adapted to respectively receive p1ston rods 22 and 23, the inner ends of the rods threadedly engaging corresponding sockets 24 and 25 of a piston 26 reciprocably mounted in the motor cylinder. Ports 27 and 28 are provided in 'the end plates 14 and 15 to serve as passages for fluid 29 forced into either end of the cylinder to actuate the piston. I

Counter-bored sockets 30 and 31 in the neck portions 32 of the end plates are adapted to receive packing material 33 urged therein by packing glands 34 in the usual manner.

The cylinder is preferably mounted on the outside of the derrick by brackets 35, secured as indicated at 36, to girts 37 and 38 on the derrick, and extending downwardly from the lower girt 38' to the surface of the ground is a pair of declining track-members 39 whereon is mounted a counter-weight 40 having flanged rollers 41 engaging the rails 42 of the track members. An eye 43, preferably cast 1n the counter-weight, provides a means for connecting the lower end of the rod 23 to the counter-weight.

1 Leading to the ports 27 and 28 of the motor cylinder are pipes 44 and 45 connecting to opposite sides of a pum 46, preferably dr1ven' 4 through a cou 1mg 48, the pump and motor being installe in a power house 49.

Means for automatically actuating the reversing mechanism of the pump to alternately force the piston upwardly and downwardly in its cylinder comprises a reversing mechanism including a projecting shaft 50 extending from one side of the counter-weight, and adapted to engage at its opposite limits of travel either of a pair of arms 51 or 52 pivotally secured to one of the rail members 42. Pivotally attached to the inner ends of the arms 51 and 52 is a common shaft 53, rigidly connected at its lower end to a parallel shaft 54 by a bar 55. The parallel shaft 54 is mounted at opposite ends in bearings 56 and 57 secured to the derrick, and its lower end is connected to a lever 58 pivotally mounted on a bracket 59 attached to the gudgeon post 11 of the derrick- A spring trip 60, connected to the shaft 53 and to the derrick, maintains said shaft in the position it has been moved by one arm until the opposite arm is engaged by the projection on the counter-weight. The position of the arms is then reversed and the shaft is held in that position by the spring until the arms are again moved.

Leading from opposite ends of the arm 58 are lines 61 and 62 running over respective pulleys 63 and 64 mounted by a bracket 65 in the power house. The lines 61 and 62 are in turn attached to the reversing mechanism of the pump.

The upper end of the piston rod 22 is attached to a cable 66 leading to the polish rod 9 of the well.

A chain 67 is interposed in the cable and is run over a pulley 68 rotatably mounted on the crown platform of the derrick, the pulley having a circumferential groove 69 for seating rib portions 70 formed on the chain to prevent disengagement of the chain with the pulley.

Assuming an apparatus to be constructed and assembled on a derrick as described the operation of the motor to actuate the pump in the well would be as follows:

When the pump plunger in the well is at its upper limit of travel the counter-weight is positioned, asnshown in Fig. 1, and the piston 26 rests at the lower end of the cylinder 12.

Upon closing the circuit to the electric motor to actuate the reversible'pump, pressure therefrom is led to the line 45 to elevate the piston 26 together with the counterweight. thus lowering the pump plunger in its working barrel. When the piston has almost reached the upper limit of its stroke the projection on the counter-weight engages and moves the arm 51 to lower the shaft 53, thereby positioning the arm 52 in proper condition for engagement by the projection 50 upon downward movement of the counterweight, this position of said arm being maintained by the spring 60.

Actuation of the parallel shaft 54 moves the arm 58 to reverse the pressure exerted by the pump 46 and the hydraulic piston is again moved downwardly into its cylinder to elevate the pump plunger, thereby carrying liquid upwardly from the well.

In this manner reciprocation of the hydraulic piston is automatically controlled through action of the counter-weight, and pumping of the well continues until the circuit to the motor 47 is broken.

Should it become necessary to pull the sucker rods or tubing from the well the cable 66 may be disconnected therefrom and a suitable cable, reeved over standard sheaves on the crown block, may be operated by the draw Works as in ordinary practice.

What'I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In apparatus of the character described including a derrick and a string of sucker rods, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the outside of the derrick having a portopening at each opposite end, means for supporting the cylin der on the derrick, a piston in the cylinder, piston rods on opposite ends of the piston extending through opposite ends of the cylinder, a cable running over the crown of the derrick and having one end connected to the string of sucker rods and the opposite end connected to the upper piston rod, a counterweight connected to the lower rod, and means controlled by the counter-weight for alternately admitting fluid to the respective ports of the cylinders.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RICHARD C. MASON. 

